Duplicity
by tsuchifuru
Summary: Teaching Demyx puts Zexion in a bit of a quandary.


Title: Duplicity

Characters: Demyx, Zexion

Pairings: none. HA! You want a Zemyx; I don't. Sorry. Actually, looking back, you could take it that way. I'm not a huge Zemyx fan, but l like to write interactions between them because they're so different.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nomura does, though. And I have a hunch that Gackt also owns a small part of Kingdom Hearts, too.

Author's notes: This is my first fic, so it's most likely…not my best stuff. This is a fun sort of experimental thing so I can find out how to work the website. And…I'm currently listening to some really weird music. Perhaps that prompted the Demyx.

As soon as Xemnas had solved the organization's newest problem, (namely the rescue of a young blue-eyed nobody who was called "Demyx") he became aware of another problem, which Xemnas explained to Zexion on one warm summer morning. Zexion had been sitting in the library, turning the light pages of a long book with a bored look on his face, when Xemnas drifted in as he tended to do, more like a ghost than a Nobody. Zexion paid him no attention and continued reading, his eyes following the confused lines of ink. Xemnas cleared his throat and summoned a dusk, which promptly snatched the book from the Schemer's hands.

"Our newest member is in need of some help." Xemnas began. Zexion blinked slowly and rubbed his eyes, sending his glasses slightly askew. The impending afternoon heat made the library unusually warm and soporific and even Xemnas suddenly felt tired. Nearly lost in the warmth, Xemnas's thoughts returned to him.

"As you know, Zexion, fish do not walk. Fish swim. From what I have surmised, our newest member, Demyx is from Atlantica. Atlantica is populated by fish. Demyx is a fish, or rather he _was_ a fish. Demyx, being a fish, swam, which means therefore that our newest member cannot walk."

Zexion stared at his superior, wondering why all of that analytical dialogue was really necessary. Yes. He understood. This new member was once a mer…man. A…male mermaid. It made enough sense.

"I would like you to teach him, Zexion." Xemnas finished, failing to stifle a yawn

"_What_? Teach him? Teach him what?!"

Xemnas paused for a moment, looking up at the top of the bookshelves, at the books so high up that Zexion could not reach them without standing on a chair. He did not look at Zexion, keeping his back turned so that all the cloaked schemer could see of him was his silvery sheet of hair.

"I would like you to teach him to walk."

Zexion said nothing. Xemnas left to find a better place to sleep. After all, sometimes an afternoon nap is very soothing, and there were only a few things Xemnas wanted back more than the peaceful days of living in the Radiant Garden.

Zexion's hair was blown softly out of his face by the warm wind as he opened the door to Demyx's room. The blond child sat on his bed, absently stroking the silk strings of his sitar with the tips of his fingers, a sad and faraway sort of look on his face. He didn't notice the quiet Nobody standing in his doorway; Zexion waited a bit more for him to notice his presence, but Demyx never did. For the tiniest moment, Zexion sympathized with Xemnas. Zexion coughed slightly, and it was enough to pull the dreamy little musician out of his trance. His huge eyes focused on Zexion, who was suddenly reminded of the ocean's deep waves.

"Uh. Hi. I was just……playing my…sitar. You aren't going to..umm…" he looked down, embarrassed, "I'm really bad at talking. Just ignore…never mind." He looked up shyly, pleadingly, at Zexion. The Schemer took a deep breath and launched into the speech he'd thought up on the way there.

"I am here to teach you what the Organization expects of you. The first objective of which is being able to walk properly. Walking will be difficult at first, but you'll soon be able to. I trust you've tried out using your legs a little by now, and hopefully, soon you'll be walking just as easily as I can--"

"You walk like you're afraid of stepping on the floor." Demyx interrupted.

"…What?" Zexion half-froze and looked up, the musician's words taking a while to sink in, "What do you mean, Number Nine?"

"I mean," he said, choosing his words carefully, "_You_ walk on _this_ part of your feet." He pointed to the corresponding part of his own foot, near his toes. "Your footsteps are really quiet, too. You must be good at hiding and stuff, too. Sneaking."

Zexion could find no response for this. He was silent for a long time, wondering what else the others could see about him that he was unaware of. Demyx gently laid his sitar down on his bed and pulled himself to his feet.

"Well, let's start. I can stand up." He said. Zexion heard a hint of pride in his voice. He waited for Demyx to try to move his feet. He didn't.

"Heh, heh. Feet are weird, huh? I don't really remember my fins much either though, isn't that weird?"

"Not really. Most nobodies forget little details like that when they're born. You'll have dreams about your Other's life, though; that's how we remember. In time, we remember everything."

"Hey, how long have you been a Nobody?" Demyx asked, with the innocence of childhood in his voice.

"Nobodies find that to be a rather…personal question, Number Nine."

"Sorry. I'll just be quiet, like that one old scientist guy tells me to be all the time." Demyx replied, smiling.

"Vexen gets headaches really easily, so he doesn't like noise. And he's not old, he's…he gets really stressed about things. Being a Nobody can do that to you." Zexion said defensively. Vexen _was_ one of the only Nobodies who he could talk to; Even and Ienzo had been close friends. "I was sent here to teach, not gossip. Now," he said, pulling off his boots," Put your foot here, in front of you." Demyx did, and Zexion smiled; perhaps this endeavor would be worth his while.

An hour later, Zexion was not so sure about Demyx learning to walk that day, let alone that _week_. Demyx sat back on his bed, his feet tucked safely under him. The Nocturne looked as if he would burst out in tears any moment. Sensing danger but ignoring it, Zexion tried again.

"Come on, Demyx. Let's try this once more. Get up."

But Demyx didn't get up. In a small voice, he whimpered, "I don't want to fall."

Zexion held out his hand to the Nobody. Tentatively, Demyx took hold of it. With surprising strength, Zexion pulled him to his feet, and said quietly, "You won't fall."

Demyx took a step and steadied his fragile balance, then took another. Zexion's hand was held just below Demyx's, just in case disaster decided to strike prematurely. "You're doing well, Number Nine."

Demyx smiled and looked up at Zexion, who saw the inevitable fall before it came. The happy grin slid off Demyx's face as his equilibrium was thrown terribly off-kilter, and Zexion saw, in what seemed like slow motion, Demyx plummet to the floor and land gracelessly on his front. The Nocturne sat on the cool floor, eyes stinging with shame.

Zexion's hand had not moved to help him. Demyx looked at Zexion, his eyes now full of unshed tears.

"You said I wouldn't fall." He said.

Zexion stood there, trying to find a reason he'd done so. His own eyes were beginning to sting a little. He turned away from Demyx, who was still sitting on the floor, and stood at the doorway.

"I lied." He said, and he vanished away before either of them saw the other's tears fall.

A/n: it's so fun making boys cry. Angst is your friend…seeee how it glistens.

Review time, please!! I _really_ want to know what people thought about it. This is a sort of preview of a longer story I'm working on right now, called 'The Summer That Never Came'. It's not as weird as this was, I promise.


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